Happy Tuesday from the country where financial disclosure rules apparently have more holes than a dollar store colander. Trump reportedly made more than one thousand securities transactions without timely public disclosure, a private prison company poured $1.4 million into a Trump aligned super PAC after landing enormous ICE contracts, and new reporting is examining millions in political donations connected to presidential pardons. Meanwhile, an American military plane made a mysterious trip to Moscow, Canada is threatening to weaponize electricity in its trade war with Trump, and scientists are building computers from living human neurons. Sure. Why not. The regular computers were clearly not causing enough problems.
Today’s Key Takeaways
Trump Reportedly Made More Than One Thousand Previously Undisclosed Securities Trades
Financial disclosures reportedly reveal more than one thousand securities transactions worth tens of millions of dollars that were not publicly disclosed when they occurred, raising fresh questions about presidential financial transparency. Apparently blind trusts are for presidents who lack the confidence to trade through the conflict of interest.
Millions in Political Donations Are Raising New Questions About Trump Pardons
Jackie Singh documents $3.5 million donated to MAGA Inc. by the family of individuals who later received Trump pardons and examines Trump’s increasingly explicit identification with the supposedly independent super PAC. Donations followed by pardons do not alone prove bribery, but they are an excellent reason for investigators to start asking questions with subpoenas instead of vibes.
A Private Prison Giant Donated $1.4 Million After Landing Huge ICE Contracts
The Lever reports that GEO Group donated $1.4 million to a Trump aligned super PAC after securing billions of dollars in immigration detention and monitoring contracts. Nothing says free market competition like winning the government contract and remembering to tip the political ecosystem afterward.
The Trump Administration Wants a Permanent $103,265 Fee on New H 1B Visas
DHS proposed replacing Trump’s temporary $100,000 fee on new H 1B visas with a permanent $103,265 charge that could sharply increase the cost of hiring skilled foreign workers. Apparently the solution to competing for global talent is charging employers the price of a small house before the employee finds an apartment.
Trump Was Warned About the Risks of War With Iran and Went Ahead Anyway
New reporting says Trump received intelligence warnings about potentially disastrous consequences before launching the Iran war but rejected arguments for restraint. Nothing makes military intelligence professionals feel useful quite like preparing a detailed warning so the president can use it as a coaster.
The United States Is Tightening the Economic Noose Around Iran
The Critical Threats Project reports that Washington is targeting Iranian sanctions evasion networks while Iran faces growing economic isolation and pressure on its regional relationships. The strategy may squeeze Tehran financially, but wars have a nasty habit of making every economic prediction come with an asterisk the size of an aircraft carrier.
A Mystery American Military Plane Landed in Moscow
A United States military aircraft made an unusual trip to Moscow amid intense speculation about its purpose, with officials providing limited public explanation. Nothing calms geopolitical nerves like a mystery Pentagon plane landing in Russia while everyone responds with “probably fine.”
Ghislaine Maxwell Lost Her Latest Attempt to Attack Her Conviction
A federal judge rejected Maxwell’s claim that her sex trafficking conviction represented a miscarriage of justice, describing her arguments as speculation, distortions, or outright falsehoods. The twenty year sentence remains intact, and the Epstein accountability story continues despite repeated attempts to rewrite the ending.
California Billionaires Are Funding a Misleading Campaign Against a Billionaire Tax
Popular Information found that opponents of California’s proposed one time 5 percent billionaire tax are running ads falsely suggesting ordinary Californians would have to report all their assets. Billionaires have apparently discovered grassroots activism, provided the grass is professionally landscaped and somebody else pays the property tax.
Trump’s Endorsement Is Becoming Less Magical
Two Trump backed candidates face difficult Republican runoffs as his endorsement record continues showing cracks during the 2026 primary season. Turns out putting TRUMP APPROVED on the box does not guarantee voters will buy what is inside.
Beef Prices Are Becoming a Political Problem for Trump
Dan Rather and Team Steady examine the White House scramble to address historically high beef prices as affordability becomes increasingly dangerous territory heading toward the midterms. Americans can apparently tolerate quite a lot of political chaos before somebody fucks with the hamburger budget.
Canada Is Threatening to Use Electricity as Leverage in Trump’s Trade War
Canadian officials are threatening reductions in electricity exports to the United States as Trump’s tariff fight escalates. The trade war has now reached the delightful stage where your neighbor is standing beside the breaker box asking whether you still want to talk shit.
Scientists Are Building Computers From Living Human Neurons
Researchers connected to Cortical Labs are developing biological computing systems that use living human neurons for information processing and artificial intelligence research. Humanity looked at ordinary AI, decided it was insufficiently unsettling, and apparently added actual brain cells.
Closing RK Thoughts
Today’s news is mostly about transactions.
Money moves into political committees. Pardons move out of the White House. Corporations win contracts. Presidential investments move through markets. Tariffs become bargaining weapons. Electricity becomes leverage. Financial sanctions become warfare.
The important question is not whether every transaction proves corruption.
It does not.
The question is whether the public can see enough of the transaction to determine who benefited, who decided, and what happened next.
That is why disclosure laws matter. Campaign finance records matter. Contract databases matter. Financial filings matter. Independent journalism matters.
Follow the money is a cliché because it keeps fucking working.
Claws out. Receipts open.
Featured Resisters and Resources
- The Epstein Files Transparency Tracker is a searchable research platform that organizes names, relationships, timelines, news reports, and source material connected to Jeffrey Epstein and the public release of government records under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
- VACLAIM Strategy is a veteran focused educational and consulting resource that provides information, guidance, and support for individuals navigating the Department of Veterans Affairs disability claims process. The platform is designed to help veterans better understand how VA disability claims work, what evidence may be needed, how ratings are determined, and what steps can improve the strength of a claim.
What We Are Watching Today
- 8:25 AM EDT
NASA Conducts 98th U.S. Spacewalk at the International Space Station - 9:15 AM EDT
U.S. Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI) Press Conference on Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Live - 11:30 AM EDT
Field Hearing Examines Impact of Military Deployments on Students, Teachers, & Education Personnel - 1:30 PM EDT
Governor Candidate Zach Lahn (R-IA) Meets With Voters in Audubon, Iowa - 2:00 PM EDT
Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) Hold Town Hall in Saugatuck - 6:00 PM EDT
Governor Candidate Zach Lahn (R-IA) Meets With Voters in Harlan, Iowa - Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Meeting Details
- Senate Committee on the Budget Meeting Details
- Senate Committee on Armed Services | 9:30 AM (EDT) | Meeting Details
Today’s Call to Action
1. Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guides
2. Sign these Petitions and Send These Pre Written Letters
- Stop Trump Admin From Shielding Anonymous Shell Companies
- Tell Congress: No Drilling Near the Grand Canyon
- Don’t let Trump weaponize the census against voters
- Stop Trump Admin From Shielding Anonymous Shell Companies
3. Verify your voter registration status and help at least one other person check theirs
4. Save contact information for local legal aid and voting support organizations
5. Attend an Event
- Cameras, Communities, and the Future of Local News
Tuesday, August 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET. This virtual discussion explores citizen journalism, documenting abuses of power, and strengthening independent local news. - AI and Surveillance and Incarceration Webinar
Wednesday, August 26 at 9:00 p.m. ET. This free virtual event examines how artificial intelligence is being used for surveillance, policing, and incarceration. - March on Washington: Defend the Vote
Friday, August 28 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Gathering begins at 8:00 a.m. ET, and the program begins at 9:00 a.m. The march will defend voting rights, civil rights, and economic justice.
6. Contact Your Lawmakers Directly
- Demand Public Testimony on the Epstein Files: “Hello, my name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY]. I am asking you to demand public testimony from Attorney General Todd Blanche about the missing Epstein records, redaction failures, and the treatment of Ghislaine Maxwell. Survivors and the public deserve answers. Please support subpoenas and full congressional oversight.”
- Reject Another Blank Check for the Iran War: “Hello, my name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY]. I am asking you to oppose the proposed $73 billion in additional Iran war funding. Congress must debate and vote on any authorization for war before approving more money. Please invest those resources in health care, housing, food assistance, and communities here at home.”
- Stop the Escalating Trade War With Canada: “Hello, my name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY]. I am asking Congress to block the threatened 50 percent tariffs on Canadian vehicles, parts, and steel. These tariffs could raise prices, disrupt American factories, and cost workers their jobs. Please reclaim Congress’s authority over trade and demand a negotiated solution.”
7. Who Are We Boycotting This Week?
- Chevron and Texaco: Avoid Chevron and Texaco gas stations. A coordinated boycott action on August 29 is protesting Chevron’s involvement in Israel’s energy industry and its environmental record.
- Target: The American Federation of Teachers has called for a nationwide Target boycott over the company’s response to aggressive ICE operations in Minnesota. Skip Target for back to school shopping and support local or union friendly stores instead.
- Palantir: Palantir provides surveillance and data technology used by ICE, police departments, and military agencies. Do not invest in Palantir, accept its sponsorships, or support institutions that purchase its technology.
